Page 47 of No One But Us

“What the fuck was that?” he asked once we werealone.

“I could ask you the same question,” I shot back. “I was pretty fucking clear with you that Ginny and Elle were off limits. From what I hear, you decided to ignorethat.”

He shook his head. “Then please fill me in and don’t leave out a single detail, because if I’m forgetting about hooking up with one of them, I want to remember every delicious second ofit.”

“So you’re saying you didn’t sleep with Elle? Because she was apparently seen leavingyourbedroom, inyourclothes the othernight.”

“Dude, your head is so far up your ass I’m not even sure there’s a point in talking to you right now. But no. I have never laid a finger on Elle. She had to shower in my room because your sister locked her out—something that happens way too often, by the way. If you want to correct a problem, make your sister stop Skyping with Alex up there all fucking day. There’s only one thing they’re using Skypefor.”

I flinched. “I can’t believe you just put that image in my head. She’s 19. I’m sure they’re justtalking.”

“It’s funny,” said Max, “the way you’re so sure it’s innocent. She’s the same age as Elle, and you sure seem to imagine Elle capable of almost anything, don’tyou?”

I wanted to argue with him, but he wasright.

Being around Elle is making my brain short-circuit. It’s turning me into someone I no longer respect. I need to get shit under control, or I need to leave the beach. Those are my onlyoptions.

Chapter 28

ELLE

I wantedto things to change. The result, however, is almostworse.

James stops running off when I walk in the room. Instead he stays, and I have to watch him struggle to be polite, with his strained smile and minimal eye contact. I still long to seek him out when my shift has ended and he’s sitting on the deck, but it’s muted by dread of what I know I’ll find: the way his smile will flicker out upon seeing me, the way he’ll grow solemn and watchful, removed as if I’m some danger he must guardagainst.

Ginny apologizes, but she does so stiffly. “I’m sorry about what Isaid.”

“But why did you say it?” I ask. “And why on Earth would you blame me for James and Allison breaking up? He broke up with her last spring. It had nothing to do withme.”

She struggles with this, flashes of hostility and uncertainty both present at the same time. “I don’t know,” she finally sighs. “Allison said some stuff, and I got carriedaway.”

“You’ve known me since we were tiny, Ginny. That should trump the opinions of some girl who’s bitter that she gotdumped.”

She bites her lip. “Maybe,” she admits, but I don’t feel like she meansit.

As if my Campbell-centered problems aren’t enough, almost simultaneously my credit card is declined and Edward emerges on the cover of a tabloid because his wife is leaving him. There’s another picture of me, slightly less grainy than its predecessor. Corinne, one of the few nice people on Edward’s show, texts to say she thinks it’s only a matter of time before my name gets leaked, so I need to beready.

I don’t panic immediately about the credit card, but there’s a whisper of worry up my spine. For the first time it occurs to me how little I seem to know about my parents. If it’s possible that my mom’s dating an aging rock star and my dad is marrying a girl roughly my age, it’s also possible that he hasn’t been the beacon of financial responsibility I thought hewas.

I stand on the deck and take a deep breath before I dial his number, knowing it will be a struggle to sound civil. It would have been anyway, but under these circumstances—his absolute failure to even try to contact me during all of this—it’s twice ashard.

“I’ve been meaning to call,” hesays.

“What stopped you?” Iask.

“Your life isn’t the only one that’s gone haywire,Elle.”

I’m not surprised by his attitude. That’s vintage Andrew Grayson. He’s everyone’s best friend and biggest supporter until he registers even a hint of criticism. I guess that’s the reason I’ve never dared argue with him until now: because I didn’t want to lose the small amount of affection he seemed to have for me. But I’m no longer sure it’s worth holding onto.

“Whatever,” I reply. “I’m not calling about that. My AmEx got declined this morning. What’sup?”

“I changed your limit,” he replies. His tone is both defiant and uncertain at once, as if he’s trying to defend something even he doesn’tbelieve.

“Changed it to what? Zero? Because I only tried to charge $20.”

“Your credit limit is now $250, and it’s for emergencies only. Holly thinks you need to learn some responsibility,” hesays.

“Responsible like her, perhaps? Should I get knocked up by my married boss as well?” I spitout.

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